Thursday, June 16, 2011

When you were a kid, how many times did you utter the infamous, "I'm borrrrrred," that can sometimes sound like the theme song to summer?

I know that I'm guilty of having said it a multitude of times and I'm sure that both of my girls will repeat it plenty more in the years to come. Why is it that the summer months are anticipated for so long, yet seem to quickly turn into lazy days lying around doing nothing?

However, if there is one place where I know to look for the most unique and fun items to truly celebrate and enjoy summer (instead of just sitting around wasting it away), it's HearthSong. From their top-of-the-line quality products to their incredible customer service and lifetime satisfaction guarantee, we have always had an all-around amazing experience (and a heck of a lot of fun) with every HearthSong product we've tried.

Really, when it comes to play, this is one company that carries the outdoor toys that focus on anything from staying active to exploring nature to enjoying the water and the beach, and much more!

As HearthSong strongly believes that children need to experience as much creative, imaginative play as possible during childhood, I had no doubt that this summer my girls would be able to do just that with the innovative and one-of-a-kind GardenFort.

A HearthSong Exclusive, I had high expectations that this would be an item that would not only last, but would inspire a long list of adventures and tales. Just by looking at the picture, how could it not?

Right out of the box and I was impressed with the way that HearthSong had made the construction process so simple. Each piece was clearly labeled and the instruction manual was concise and to the point. By taking a look at the diagram that they included, it didn't take me long at all to take this pile of parts...

...and have the sturdy frame completely put together. Even though I knew that the dimensions were going to be 58"L x 58"W x 48"H, I was still impressed that this wasn't at all a tiny playhouse!

To keep the GardenFort safely in place, the small L-shaped stakes included were easy to push down using a hand or foot to keep the base of the frame secured to the ground.

All that was left was to situate the netting (a second set of hands is helpful here because it fits very precisely to the frame) and use the provided plastic ties to keep it permanently attached.

The result? A unique playhouse that is already ready for a child's imagination!

Even better, the HearthSong GardenFort comes with three seed packets (Black-Eyed Susan Vine, Cypress Vine and asparagus beans) so that you can plant them around the base. What child wouldn't be inspired as they watch as nature grows a living roof and walls up, over and around their playhouse?

This is definitely not just your average outdoor toy, the GardenFort really is made for a safe, enjoyable and extremely fun summer for all of us. Big Sister E likes to pretend that it is a garden center, Hooper's Store (from Sesame Street), and much more...

...and there is more than enough room for her and Little Sister B to both be inside to talk, laugh, and play together or individually. I can only imagine how much fun they are going to have when they have a leafy, flowery cover to this cool house!

As with past items we have been fortunate to review from HearthSong, I have been extremely impressed with the quality, durability, ease of use and long-term entertainment that the GardenFort is able to provide. Considering just how much fun my kids have already had with this playhouse, I have no doubt that it will be a permanent part of our summer fun for years to come.

Whether you are looking for something unique for your kids to play in or you want to extend going green into more of their toys, the GardenFort is sure to be a big hit. Fitting perfectly into HearthSong's slogan of Toys You'll Feel Good About Giving, this is just one of many items that they offer as part of their commitment to providing educational, entertaining, high-quality playthings.

Also, as with all of their toys, HearthSong completely guarantees your satisfaction - with no conditions or time limits. If, at any time and for any reason, you aren't happy with your GardenFort, you can exchange it or receive a full refund (it retails for $69.98). With customer service like that, you've got nothing to lose and only a large amount of enjoyment and good times to gain.

Thanks to the generosity of HearthSong, one person will get to bring home the joy and exuberance of one of their amazing items this summer as well, because...

One lucky person will win a $50 gift certificate from HearthSong!

To enter to win: Visit HearthSong and tell me one of the amazing items that they offer that you or your children would love to own.

Extra Entries (available after the mandatory entry above is completed; please leave a separate comment for each entry in order for them to be counted).

1 Extra Entry if you head over to A Mom's Balancing Act and enter to win a Rocking Seesaw from HearthSong!1 Extra Entry (per method) if you follow HearthSong on Twitter and/or Like them on Facebook.1 Extra Entry (per giveaway entered) - Enter any (or all) of the Fun in the Sun giveaways (Fun in the Sun giveaways ONLY) running on Thanks, Mail Carrier for the duration of this giveaway.1 Extra Entry if you follow me on Twitter and tweet about this giveaway by copying and pasting the tweet below and leaving me the link. Tweet daily for an extra entry every day!

Fun in the Sun 18: WIN a $50 gift certificate from HearthSong for high quality fun! #thxmailcarrier http://bit.ly/iRnhTC #win #giveaway

2 Extra Entries (per follow method) if you follow me publicly with Google Friend Connect, subscribe to my RSS feed, subscribe to Thanks, Mail Carrier by email or become a fan on Facebook.3 Extra Entries if you put my cute button up on your blog. Please leave an address where it can be found.3 Extra Entries if you have our Fun in the Sun button up on your blog. Please leave an address where it can be found.3 Extra Entries if you blog about this giveaway linking back to this post. Please leave an address where it can be found.Giveaway will end on July 8th at 11:59pm CST. Do me the favor of leaving an email address or making absolutely sure it is visible in your profile, I have to have a way to contact the winner. The winner will be chosen by random.org and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to contact me or respond to notification or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is open to residents of the U.S. and Canada only.

A big thank you to HearthSong for providing a Garden Fort for me to review as well as a $50 gift certificate for one lucky giveaway winner. The opinions shared are my own and honest and if you really need to see more, click here to see how I roll.